Shropshire Star

Ben Parker ready for the step up as Sam Whitney ruled out for Shropshire

Worcestershire Academy seamer Ben Parker has been named in Shropshire’s 12-man squad for Sunday’s NCCA Trophy group match against Staffordshire at Oswestry CC (11am), writes Stuart Dunn.

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All-rounder Sam Ellis also returns to the Shropshire squad, which shows two changes from last weekend’s match at Cheshire.

Leg spinner Sam Whitney is ruled out with a shoulder injury and Mitchell Stanley, another Worcestershire seamer, is unavailable after making his first-team debut for Shropshire as the county lost by 99 runs against Cheshire at Toft CC.

Parker, now playing his club cricket for Kidderminster in the Birmingham League after joining from Worfield, has previously played for Shropshire’s Academy side and represented the county at age group levels.

He played for Shropshire’s first team in a friendly against a Lancashire XI at Whitchurch earlier this season.

Shropshire’s director of cricket John Abrahams said: “Ben has been busy with Worcestershire which is good for him as gaining experience with a first-class county will help a young player’s development.

“He’s also been playing second team cricket fairly regularly for Worcestershire, so it’s good to have him available for selection.”

On Stanley, who took two wickets and contributed 34 with the bat against Cheshire, Abrahams added: “Mitchell is on a back to bowling programme and only allowed to bowl so many overs a week by Worcestershire.

“It was really enjoyable having Mitchell with us last weekend and he made an impact.”

Abrahams said Shropshire would continue to monitor the shoulder injury which prevents Whitney, the county’s new NCCA Championship captain, from playing this weekend.

“It’s something that’s ongoing,” he said. “Sam has seen a physio during the week and been told what he can do to help the situation.

“Sam has been performing consistently, but this injury unfortunately has been getting worse and becoming more painful.

“We will monitor how the exercises he’s been given to do make any positive difference.”

Shropshire opened their One Day Trophy campaign with a three-wicket victory over Northumberland at Oswestry at the end of last month before losing a high-scoring match at Cheshire last Sunday.

After hosting Staffordshire, Shropshire’s final group game is against Cumbria, the current group leaders, at Netherfield the following Sunday.

Staffordshire, this weekend’s opponents, have also won one and lost one of their group matches as the race to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition continues.

Abrahams said: “It’s an important match for both teams. If either of us want to progress we need to win the match and not rely on results elsewhere.

“It will be a competitive match and hopefully we can improve on our performance from last week against Cheshire and take the positives from the Northumberland game and try and reproduce them.”

Spectators are allowed to attend Sunday’s match at Oswestry and must adhere to the current ECB and government guidelines.

Shropshire, from: Will Parton (Shrewsbury), Ryan Lockley (Oswestry), Xavier Clarke (Shifnal), Charlie Home (Wolverhampton), Simon Gregory (Bridgnorth), Graham Wagg (Biddestone, captain), Ben Lees (Bridgnorth), David Laird (Oswestry), Matty Simmonds (Bridgnorth), Tyler Ibbotson (Shrewsbury), Sam Ellis (Formby), Ben Parker (Kidderminster).